Repo Mambo
by amourdesoi
Summary: AU. Can't pay for your car? The bank takes it back. Your organs? That's where Shizuo comes in. But after his last job goes wrong, he meets Izaya, who's past due on multiple organs - and he finds out exactly how hard it is to escape the system. Shizaya.
1. make a choice

A/N: Condensing the chapters so they match with the rest of them... because I'm a weirdo like that. :D

AU Shizaya based off of the movie Repo Men; to clarify for anyone that hasn't seen it before, it's about a man who's job is repossession. He's part of the Union, which is a company that gives artificial organs/some body parts to people who need them. When they fail to pay, he goes in and reclaims the products.

Then his last job goes haywire, and later he meets (in this story) Izaya, who has a large amount of past-due organs/yadda yadda in his body... Ya dig :D?

I don't own Durarara or Repo Men.

* * *

**Repo Mambo**

**Chapter One**

When he was younger, he once read about a scientist. More specifically, a scientist that had a fascination with cats and boxes. What the man did was take the feline and lock it in a box; and to spice things up a bit, he also placed a machine that released poisonous gas inside with it.

The scientist did not really know when the machine would release the poison. The only way to know would be to look inside the box. It would be the only way to be absolutely sure.

But until he opened it up, he figured the cat had to be both alive and dead. If either one was possible - life or death - then both had to possible, too. Ever since he has read about it, he hasn't been able to get it out of his head.

It's not that Shizuo particularly cares for animals; he just never understood one thing.

How can anything be both alive and dead at the same time?

* * *

Shizuo stares out into the bright lights of Ikebukuro from within the penthouse suite he's in. He has enough time to take one last drag of his cigarette and crush it underneath his sole, into the pristine white carpets, before he hears the sound of a door opening and inebriated laughter.

He turns around slowly, hand on the holster of his tranquilizer gun. The couple that enters doesn't even notice his presence, they're that trashed - Shizuo finds himself gritting his teeth at the fact he has yet to be discovered, even when he's standing less than ten feet away.

The woman pushes the man up against the wall, whispering things into his ear before trailing her hands down to the buckle on his pants. She deftly undoes his pants, and they fall to the man's ankles as she gets on her knees. She smirks up at him, and the man closes his eyes and rests the side of his head on the wall he's leaning on, clearly anticipating what's about to come.

It's only when the man hazily opens his eyes that he realizes there's a six foot tall blond man standing right next to his window.

"What the fuck!" Abruptly, he pushes the woman off of him and scrambles to pull up his pants. Shizuo's brow twitches.

"Takahara-san-"

"Who the hell are you?" The man splutters indignantly, still fastening his pants, and there's another twitch coming from Shizuo - he doesn't like being cut off.

"I'm from the Union." Shizuo calmly tells him. Those four words are enough to tell the man who Shizuo is and what he's doing there, and a look of alarm plasters itself to his face.

"Wait! Wait. Just w-wait, okay?" The man tries to pacify the situation. It's sort of too bad that it won't work. "Why don't we just talk about this? We're both grown men..."

Shizuo continues to stare at the man. Beads of sweat begin to roll down his face as he tries to talk his way out. "Let's just sit down, alright? I can pay you-" He stumbles forward, hand out in the universal sign for _hold on_.

"You're too late." Shizuo's fingers twitch on the gun, and he whips it out faster than the man's drunken eyes can follow. Really, he gets tired faster and faster every time that people try to halt what's going to come anyway. What they _know_is going to happen.

"Besides, that's not my department." With that said, his finger tightens on the trigger.

The man's eyes widen a fraction before the tranquilizer lands right into his chest. The man falls straight onto his back, and Shizuo, without pause, grabs the sleek silver case he has brought with him and kneels next to him.

Suddenly, something is smacked against his head. He turns his head, ever so slowly, at the woman who has just tried to smash his head in with her handbag without success.

"... There's no need for violence, lady."

She stares at him incredulously, and before she can try whacking him with her bag again, he shoots a tranquilizer into her, too. The woman lands to the ground with a thud. She's not past-due on anything - at least, as far as he knows. But either way, she's annoying and in the way of his job.

"Takahara-san." Now that there are no disruptions, Shizuo clears his throat and continues to speak. "I'm legally bound to ask you if you want an ambulance on stand-by to take you to the hospital."

Of course, the man is out cold and does not answer him. Shizuo shrugs.

"No? Okay, then."

In the penthouse that is once more quiet, he sets to work.

* * *

His job is easy enough to understand.

You can't pay for your car? The bank takes it back. You can't pay for your house? The bank takes it back.

You can't pay for your liver? Your heart, your pancreas?

That is where Shizuo comes in.

No matter who the client is, the job always ends one of the same ways.

Some cry, beg - some even laugh. However, in the end...

In the end, they will all do the same horizontal mambo, swaying and shaking their way into the afterlife.

* * *

"Hey, watch it!"

Shizuo shoots a glare at whoever just yelled at him, dressed inside a huge liver costume, and a stutter comes from inside. "Ah, H-Heiwajima-san, I d-didn't know it was you..." Of course he didn't; if he did, he would've never dared raise his voice to him.

Everyone who works for the Union knows who he is; even some people who don't are aware of him, or at least of the fact that he's one of the best they have.

The blond just keeps on walking, silver case in his grip as he makes his way to the elevator. Once he's on his floor, he sees too many people inside offices, basically being told that they will die - unless, of course, they decide to get an artiforg.

_"We used to have to wait until other people died, so that others could live," _comes the automated female voice that echoes around the whole entire building. _"And now, thanks to the Union, no one ever has to die because of lack of organ donors. Our doctors cleanly insert..."_

While he pours his coffee, he can hear one of the conversations from inside one of the offices.

"... the price would come to 50,865,785 yen." Shizuo glances inside and sees a man with a hand on his face, surrounded by his wife and two young daughters. They all look troubled, and the wife lays a hand on his shoulder. "We can offer monthly payments, and with an APR of 19.6%, standard for a generic pancreatic unit..."

The consultant continues the speech he always gives, clearly seeing the man's reluctance to pay such a huge amount of money - and then a brown haired man with glasses sweeps into the room out of seemingly nowhere, perching on the desk.

"Kishitani Shinra, head of this division." Shizuo pours too much sugar into his coffee, listening to the words that he has heard fool people too many times to count.

"I understand you have concerns. It's only normal. But please, let me reassure you that we'll find a plan that suits you. That's what the credit department is there for!" Shinra chirps, and Shizuo thinks he sounds far too happy about a deal like that. "There's also a three month grace period, if you fall behind. If that happens, we'll retrieve the property - at our own expense, naturally - using our skilled and licensed technicians..."

Shizuo is one of those _skilled_ a_nd licensed technicians_; he restrains himself from rolling his eyes, and continues to stir his coffee, blocking out the rest of the conversation until it reaches the finale.

Shinra keeps talking, that reassuring smile on his face. He leans close to the man as if he's sharing a personal word of advice, or a secret. "You owe it to your family." The bastard has the audacity to wink. "You owe it to yourself."

He can't help the disgust that rises in him. He's heard Shinra say those words so many times; the first time he heard it, had he been someone in need of an artiforg, he would've bought into it instantly. But the more he says it, the more it loses its magic. That is, of course, except for the people who he tells that to.

"Now, just sign here, here, and here..." The man hesitantly takes the pen in his hand, staring at the clipboard that will finalize his fate.

He'll sign. They always do.

No one wants to die, even if it means that they'll be in debt for the rest of their lives.

Shizuo doesn't really feel like watching the man sign away his life, especially when he knows there's a good chance he will be the one to come after him months from now. Once he has his coffee prepared, he heads into the break room. He sips his coffee, and then:

"You're killing me by coming in the front like that, Shizuo!" Shinra exclaims, frowning. Shizuo just takes another sip of his coffee and ignores him. "Come on, then. Let's see what you got." His boss sighs, then waves him over through another pair of doors, through a hallway and into another room.

"Really though, Shizuo, when people see you..." Shinra starts up the computer system and the scanner, his voice chiding.

Rather, what Shinra means, is when people see his _tattoo_, they get scared. The tattoo that is on the side of his neck, that even a collared shirt won't hide. The symbol, the brand of the Union.

"... they'll get scared! They won't want to take out a loan, and they'll start paying up front. And that means we'll lose money..."

Shizuo just grunts and unclips the briefcase he has carried in with him. He takes out a vacuum sealed bag with a delicate metal object inside and tosses it to Shinra, who fumbles a bit before catching it. "What's this one?"

"Liver." Shinra nods and scans it into the machine, and it lets out a low beep as it registers back into the system.

"Next one!"

"Another liver."

Shinra chuckles, "What, are you hanging around bars, or something? AA meetings, perhaps?" He keeps on scanning, then reaches out a hand for another one.

Shizuo throws the next one over. When Shinra goes to scan it, nothing comes up. The bespectacled man peers at it, frowning. "Shizuo, you really have to be more gentle with these things. The barcode won't even scan!"

"Client pissed me off," The blond mumbles irritably. Shinra just sighs and puts it aside to deal with it later.

"Hey, partner. Boss." Shizuo glances over his shoulder at the comrade he's had the entire time he's been with the Union.

Tanaka Tom.

They had known each other since elementary school. Tom had been way different back then, despite the fact he still wears glasses and still has his dreads; he had been quite the bully. Yes, back then, Tom was the school's biggest delinquent. He tried picking on Shizuo, once.

The blond thinks the only reason they became friends was because Shizuo was the only one who was able to dish out exactly what Tom served. From that point on, they were almost inseparable, and then the school had two troublemakers on its hands.

"Ready to go out?" Tom pats Shizuo's back. "We've got quite the list, today..."

* * *

Next week, Shizuo's hosting something of a party at his house. Well, his and Kasuka's house. Among the party guests are all of their fellow repo men - men that look less than saintly, all rough and tumble and muscle. Each one has the Union tattoo on the left side of their neck.

And looking completely out of place is his brother. His sleek and polished brother, who always has an aristocratic air about him, even if he doesn't mean to. Kasuka looks rather bored right now, sitting at at one of the patio tables in their backyard and sipping on tea.

Kasuka has never really agreed with Shizuo's occupation. However, with Shizuo's temper and strength, not many other jobs were available to him. So when he found a job at the Union, Kasuka had been happy for him. At first.

As his jobs went on and Shizuo told him about the what went on during the jobs, he started disapproving his choice of career. He just couldn't approve something that meant his brother was unwittingly taking lives, even if the paycheck was well worth it.

But Kasuka loves him just as much as Shizuo loves his little brother, so he puts up with it. Though there's a niggling feeling that eventually, he won't be able to put up with it anymore. If that happens, Shizuo doesn't know what he'll do - Kasuka's the only family he has, and other than Tom, the only other friend.

"You alright, Kasuka?" Shizuo takes a seat next to his brother, who just gives him a blank look. "I know..." Shizuo rubs the back of his head. "They'll be gone in an hour or two." His brother nods, then looks up as a hand taps the blond's shoulder.

"Do you mind if I steal you for a second?" It's Tom. He has a relaxed smile on his face, and Shizuo gets the idea that it is only there for Kasuka's sake.

"Sure." Shizuo stands up, giving his brother one more look, then follows Tom over to the side. "What's up?"

Tom's face suddenly turns serious. "Horoda told me he's got one for us. He's past due almost eight months." No one ever manages to evade the Union that long. It's almost ridiculous that someone's gone more than five.

"So?"

"So he said he'll take him this way for us. He's only a few minutes away, Shizuo." And unfortunately, Shizuo knows where this is heading. "It's double commission, partner. That's a lot of money. Boss'll be happy with us, too."

Tom has a point. Shizuo glances over at Kasuka, who's still looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here. "... Fine. You have to make it quick, though."

"Will do, partner."

Tom strides away, and Shizuo returns back to his brother. Kasuka fixes him with another look, one that's asking what that was all about. "...He's just going to get more meat," He tells his brother somewhat uncomfortably, though he hopes he doesn't notice. Kasuka just nods slowly and returns his half-lidded gaze to his tea.

A few minutes later, Tom has yet to return. Shizuo casts the door that leads inside his house continuous glances, and during one of them, Kasuka follows his gaze. He looks back at Shizuo, to how his eyes are steadily becoming glued to the door, then back to where he's staring again.

Suddenly, he pushes his chair back and stands up. "Kasuka? Where are you going?"

"Jacket." Kasuka mutters and starts marching into the house.

"Kasuka, I'll get you a jack- Kasuka-" But his brother either doesn't hear him or is ignoring him, so he swears under his breath and sprints to the door.

"Kasuka, wait a second!" His brother continues to walk through the house, and to Shizuo's horror, towards the front door.

_Shit_.

If his brother finds out that he's brought the business he despises so much to his very doorstep, the consequences would not be pretty. Then, his worst fears come true. Kasuka has made it to the front door, and he gives one look out the window before he pulls open the door.

"Kasuka!" Shizuo follows him outside and sees Tom standing there, unaware that the siblings are standing on the steps. His partner is wrapping up the wires of some artiforg, a smile that comes from a job well done on his face.

Then his little brother is in action, walking right up to Tom. "What are you doing?" He asks him calmly. In that one respect, he and his brother are somewhat alike. They sound the calmest before the storm hits - except Kasuka is nowhere near as explosive as Shizuo.

Tom blinks, surprised. "I-"

"Kasuka, I can explain!" Shizuo finally reaches the two of them once his feet are done being rooted to the ground from his shock. His brother just turns to him, the blank look that's always there on his face.

"Why, Shizuo?"

Shizuo's mouth flounders open, searching for the right words to say - but there are none. He closes his mouth as Kasuka just walks right past Shizuo without sparing him a a passing glance, into the house. Almost immediately after, he comes right back out, car keys in hand.

"Kasuka? Where are you going?"

His brother ignores him and unlocks the car, opening the door and seating himself inside. "Kasuka, please-"

"Shizuo." His brother starts up the ignition, then finally looks up at him with those apathetic eyes. "... Make a choice." And then he quietly closes the car door and drives off.

That niggling feeling? It doesn't itch at him any longer, now that it's actually happened. Instead, Shizuo just stands there, heart lurching into his gut as he watches Kasuka drive away until he can no longer see him. He had always used the word _eventually _- but _eventually_ had finally come.

"Fuck."

"I went as fast as I could, Shizuo." Tom's voice is remorseful, and Shizuo knows it's real. Of all people, Tom knows just how much Kasuka means to him, and how much he absolutely loves his little brother. "I'm sorry."

"I know you did." Tom is also one of the best, right up there along with him. But sometimes, being the best isn't good enough.

Because right now, Shizuo would give up his high rank and hefty paycheck, kick out all the coworkers he's not really even remotely friendly with - he'd give it all up, just to have his brother drive back. In a heartbeat.

"Fuck..." He repeats, and buries a hand in his hair as Kasuka's words bounce around in his head like a song that gets stuck inside your brain.

_Make a choice._

* * *

A/N: Next chapter will be up shortly. :)


	2. the last hurrah

A/N: Here's the next one~ Was going to have Izaya in it, but he'll be in the next chapter... I promise! Really! Just letting you guys now, I fail at action scenes, so don't expect too much from me. D:

I hope this isn't too vague for people who haven't seen the movie, so here goes...

I don't own Durarara or Repo Men.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

"Shizuo?" Tom asks, blinking, when he sees his blond partner waiting outside of his door. He's got a small suitcase in tow and a cigarette in between his lips, and he simply raises a hand in greeting. "Come in."

"Need a place to stay, huh?" He asks Shizuo, returning to the table where he's started to eat dinner before his door rang. His partner takes the seat across from him, nodding as he puts out the cigarette. Five minutes later, Shizuo is still silent. "Care to tell me what's on your mind?"

It takes another minute for a reply, but it still comes. "I can't do this shit anymore." He lights up another cigarette, hand in place over his forehead. "This whole business. Going and snatching people's organs right out of them. Maybe Kasuka's right."

Kasuka's the whole reason why he's here right now; he knows that he should just stay out of his way until he can come back with good news.

Tom sets down his glass, and he gives Shizuo a serious look. "But Shizuo, we've been doing this for so long... We're the top men the Union has. You know that. Besides, it's not like we go around mercilessly killing everyone. It's just the people who don't pay."

_Just the people who don't pay._

Shizuo's hand clenches into a fist. "I'm aware of that."

"And you still want to quit? You can kiss that pretty paycheck goodbye."

"I know, Tom."

Shizuo really does know. He knows he probably won't be able to find another place that will take care of him the way the Union does, but ever since earlier, he's been having his doubts. Doubts that steadily became obvious decisions he has to make. After all, if he has to make a choice between his brother and his job - the answer is already clear to Shizuo.

"I can't lose him. He's all I've got." The hand on his forehead moves to run through his hair, disheveling it even more than it usually is.

"You got me, partner." Tom tries to give Shizuo a cheery grin to lift his spirits, but it doesn't really work. He clears his throat and takes his plate to the sink. "Well... maybe you could always go into sales, or something. I'm sure if you talked to Shinra, he... wouldn't mind transferring you."

They both know that _yes, _Shinra _would _mind. He would definitely protest against having one of his best repo men transfer to sit uselessly behind a desk, selling people the fake organs that he currently reclaims. "... Maybe."

"But you know, you better make sure they give you life insurance for that. You might choke on your own vomit and die if you have to hear Shinra's _'_You owe it to your family. You owe it to yourself' bullshit."

Shizuo finally lets out a chuckle, though it's mostly humorless. Tom walks back to the table where his partner is still seated and claps a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, why don't we go hunting? I know you're trying to avoid it, but... you might as well rack up some commission while you can. Might get your mind off of this whole thing, too."

"Tom..."

"Then, tomorrow, you can talk to Shinra once we turn everything into him. How about it?"

Shizuo takes a deep drag, burning the rest of the cigarette out to the butt, looks up to his partner's reassuring face; "Yeah, why not."

As they ride around the city, Shizuo can only stare out the window, mind occupied. He already feels guilt over going out to search for past-due clients. He feels like he's betraying the one person who would never betray him. But Tom's right; once they do find some targets, it'll get his mind off of the whole damn thing. He flicks his cigarette out the window before turning his attention to the radar scanner.

"I'll talk to Shinra tomorrow." He says, voice definite. "Even if it does mean I'll have to hear him say his spiel."

"That's the spirit, Shizuo." Tom leans over to pat his friend on the shoulder, but his hand freezes in mid-air once the scanner starts beeping.

The number starts out as a red, blinking** 01**; and then it's a red blinking **02**, **03** - they pull over on the side of the road. The numbers speed up, and then the screen reads **26**.** PAST DUE**.

The screen flashes, then blinks rapidly, displaying the word **RECLAIM**. **RECLAIM**.

"It's a fucking nest," Tom mutters disbelievingly, looking to the old, dilapidated building they're next to. "You ready, Shizuo?"

But his partner is already stepping out of the car and heading towards the trunk for weapons, and with a smile and shake of his head, Tom gets out to follow suit.

* * *

"Ready?" Shizuo whispers to Tom, who nods and sets out, stun gun in his hand.

Shizuo totes his own stun gun, complete with wireless darts strong enough to knock a man out for ten, twenty minutes. The first three he sneaks up on are completely unaware of him, all huddling around a blazing trash can for warmth. Warmth that they'll never feel again, once Shizuo is through with them.

They're talking and whining about the incoming cold weather, whining about the damn Union and how it's _their_ fault they're even in this position - and stealthily, hidden in the shadows, Shizuo knocks one out with the butt of his gun before lunging and elbowing the other one on the side of the head, effectively knocking him out as well.

The last one in the room only flaps his mouth like a fish before he shoots a dart into him, and he flops backward onto the worn, dirty couch that's missing cushions. He searches the rest of the floor, finding one more asleep on a pile of flattened cardboard; without blinking, he shoots a dart into him as well before heading up another flight of stairs.

Once he gets on the next floor, they're more awake, definitely more alert than their neighbors. One sees Shizuo and goes charging at him, but he just holds out a hand as the man runs into it blindly, stumbling back as Shizuo pulls him forward again and knees him right in the head. _Five down on my part_, he thinks. The other two both brandish pocket knives, and he raises a brow at them before shooting one down as the other charges at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tom jogging upstairs to inspect the next floor.

He thinks this guy charging at him must be pretty stupid to give him a chance to do exactly what he did to the first one he's encountered on this floor, but as the man falls, there's another one right behind him with an arm around his throat, choking him. Cool metal is in place against his throat, and there's the slightest sting when Shizuo grabs the man's arm and hurtles him over onto his back, where he gives him a good, hard kick to the head.

"Too easy," He murmurs, fingers ghosting over the the shallow cut. _Eight down_; it's only been a few minutes, and he sets out to explore the rest of the floor before he decides to progress. "You alright, Tom?"

"Yep," Tom grins at him as he holds up a hand. "I got seven."

"Eight." Shizuo throws out as he strides past Tom, gun poised to strike anyone who decides they're brave enough to pop out. The floor is empty, though; at least, besides the bodies Tom's knocked out. "Eleven more. They've got to be upstairs."

They nod to each other before both creep up the stairs, and they begin the whole process over again. Shoot, kick, punch, shoot - it's repetitive, yet effective, Shizuo determines as they stare at the eight bodies sprawled out onto the floor, still twitching.

"You always manage to get more than me, somehow..." Tom frowns, then sighs. "Oh well, three more. Let's wrap this up, shall we?" They both look at the room with a closed door, both approaching it and giving it a good kick when it doesn't open.

The door slams open wide, and whatever cover the people inside are trying to keep is blown at the sound of their surprised gasps. Shizuo's boots clunk painfully loud into the silence of the empty looking room, and he spies a closet on the side. He holds a hand up to Tom, who raises an eyebrow; he tip toes to the closet door and puts an ear to the door to hear inside.

High, whispery breaths are all he hears - and as he swings open the door with his gun pointed inside, it's exactly what he was hoping he didn't see. Two women and a child are huddling inside, and he can see their faces light up in terror as his gun discharges a dart into one woman, then the other. Soon, it's just him and the child, and they're staring at each other.

His hand pauses on the trigger, and he swallows thickly as the child tries to back up against the wall; almost like he wants to become part of it. But before he can deliberate anymore of this, a dart shoots into the child, who slumps down. Shizuo glances behind him to see Tom lowering his stun gun, frown on his face.

"... You still managed to beat me."

* * *

"Twenty six!" Shinra exclaims the next day, a grin on his face as he scans the last artiforg into the system. "You know you two are probably the only ones who can manage to do that in one fell swoop, right?" Once the last one is taken care of, he straightens his white lab coat out and gestures for the two of them to follow him into his office, the next room over.

"So I've been thinking..." Shinra folds his hands together as Shizuo and Tom both take a seat, "You two are up for a promotion! Think about it! You two, kicking ass and taking names-"

_Organs_, Shizuo thinks. _Lives_. _That's what we're taking, isn't it?_ - but he doesn't voice this as Shinra rambles on.

"-Taking down these nests! You won't even have to deal with me and the pink slips anymore, you know that?"

Shizuo shifts uncomfortably in his seat as Shinra looks at them expectantly. "Well? How about it?"

"It sounds great. Right, Shizuo?" Tom nudges his partner, who just looks up at him with a glare that says _You bastard, we went over this._

"Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about." Shizuo redirects his gaze to the bespectacled man in front of him, who's still grinning. "I want a transfer out of repossession. Put me into sales, or something."

The grin falters. "But - Shizuo, why?" Shinra questions, leaning over his desk to peer at him curiously. "You're one of the-"

"The best, I know," the blond mutters. "I still want a transfer."

Tom is silent beside him, though he can feel his eyes on him. Shinra just pushes up his glasses and clears his throat. "A transfer, huh? ... I guess I can do that." Shizuo's heart leaps into his throat, in a good way; and then: "But how about one last hurrah before that?"

His heart plummets back down into his gut. He should've known Shinra would cling onto the last vestiges he had with the best duo he has in this damn place.

"Just one more, Shizuo," Tom nudges him again. "You can do that, right?"

"... And then I'll get a transfer, right?"

"Right!" Shinra assures him, leaning back into his chair and refolding his hands. "One more, and into sales you go! Though it beats me why you'd want to do such a thing..."

* * *

"You got this one, right?" Tom questions the blond, resting his arms on the steering wheel.

"I got it. It's just one." The last, thank God; then he can put all of this behind him. He can return to Kasuka with the promise of a job that doesn't have to do with ripping people's parts out of them and leaving them for dead.

"Alright, I'll wait out here, then." Shizuo just nods and gets out of the car, hand tightly clutching the case in his hand.

_The last hurrah_. Then he can wipe his hands clean of this, or at least try to. With that thought in mind, he sets upon the quaint little stone pathway that leads up to the front door. To his surprise, it's not locked. He twists the knob and steps inside; the house is completely silent, and then he hears a faint clink coming from the next room over.

He quietly shuts the door before heading into the room, hand on his holster like it usually is when he's approaching a target. But when he goes into the next room, there is only a man sitting at a long dining room table, accompanied by nothing but a near empty bottle of whiskey and a glass in his hand.

"You," The man slurs, taking in the tattoo and the case at his side, his hand on his stun gun. "I've been waiting for you." He throws back the rest of his glass without so much as a wincing expression, then pours the rest into it. "At least let me finish this?"

Shizuo's hand moves from his holster to his side. "Sure." The man seems resigned to his fate, so Shizuo sets the case on the table and begins to take out the necessary tools.

The man chugs the rest of the glass quickly before standing, swaying slightly on the spot. "Where do you want me?"

"You can lay down on the floor. Or the table, whatever." The man grunts before going over closer to Shizuo, then lifts himself up onto the table.

"You're probably wondering why I'm not putting up a fight," he says simply. Shizuo wasn't really wondering, he's too occupied with the thought of getting this done and over with and going home to Kasuka.

Either way, he decides to humor the man who will cease to live in less than ten minutes. "I was."

So the man continues, "Wife left me. Took the kids, too. Said she didn't want herself and the kids to be around when _this _happens. When I'm gone." He smiles bitterly, then turns his head to look at Shizuo. "Is this going to hurt?"

Shizuo stares at him for a moment. "I'm legally bound to ask you if you want an ambulance on stand-by to take you to the hospital."

"No... no, that won't be necessary." He still gazes at Shizuo, who's beginning to rub together the paddles of the portable defibrillator. "You never answered me. Is this going to hurt?"

Shizuo doesn't halt his motions, and he meets the alcohol glazed eyes of the man laying in front of him. "You won't feel a thing."

"If you say so," The man mumbles, then moves his head to face the ceiling. "I'm ready."

"Okay," Shizuo says, and he places the defibrillator over the man's heart. "Here goes."

He silently counts one, two, three in his head; on three, he places the paddles onto the man's chest - and suddenly, Shizuo can feel himself flying backwards, and everything goes black.

* * *

"Hey, partner. How're you feeling?"

Shizuo's eyes slowly, blearily open; the ceiling he's staring at is a pristine white, and his eyes rove around til he sees Tom's smiling face. Next to him is Shinra, who's still got that ever present, pleasant looking grin on. His chest hurts, and he blinks wearily as his vision starts to adjust.

"... What..." He croaks out, throat uncomfortable dry, "Where's the... targ-"

"Haha, look at him! Just woke up, and he's already worried about the job!" Shinra cuts him off, "That's why you're the best, Shizuo."

Tom just keeps smiling at him, but Shizuo can tell there's something they're not telling him.

Like why the fuck he's in a hospital bed, IV hooked up to his arm - when he should be home with Kasuka.

"What happened?" He swallows the dryness down, or at least tries to. "Why..."

Tom steps forward, placing a hand on Shizuo's arm. "Shizuo, do you remember the last job?" Of course he does. It was supposed to be _the last hurrah_. "Well... something went wrong." Tom looks down. "You... had a cardiac arrest."

What? His mind whirls. What? This wasn't supposed to happen. "What?"

"I went in when you didn't come out, and the target tried to run - probably didn't know I was there. As soon as I called you an ambulance and chased the guy, they took you here. And then..." Tom's eyes look down again, but they're focused on Shizuo's chest.

Eyes narrowed, he looks down; the special kind of medical 'hot glue' they've developed is slightly raised on his chest in a straight line, almost like it's soldering his flesh together. Right where his heart should be. If he wasn't awake before, he is now. The defibrillator must have malfunctioned.

"... the _fuck-_!" The heart monitor starts beeping faster and faster.

"Top of the line," Shinra butts in again, ignoring the frantic look on the blond's face. "It's the best we've got, for the best!" He grins cheerily, and Shizuo wants to both punch it off his face and make sure Shinra's not talking about what he thinks he might be.

He swallows again and tries to regain some semblance of calm. The beeping slows down. "... is this..."

Tom's eyes are gravely serious. "An artificial heart. It was the only way-"

Shizuo lets out an animalistic roar before he sits up in bed, ripping the IV out of his arm. Before either of them can stop him, he stumbles onto his feet, treading clumsily into the hallway.

No. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He was supposed to have _the last fucking hurrah_ and be done with it. Now he's been saddled with a fake ticker - his chest clenches uncomfortably as he hears the two of them call out to him in the distance.

"Excuse me, sir! You shouldn't be out of bed!" A passing nurse calls out to him, but he ignores her and continues staggering down the hallway.

Kasuka. _Fuck._

"Shizuo! Please, stop! You need to get back into bed!" Tom pleads, and Shizuo falls to his knees. Still, he ignores them and starts crawling on the cool, tiled floor. He needs to get out of here. He needs to see Kasuka.

"Shizuo." Shinra's calm voice comes from right beside him as the blond's hand reaches out to steady himself. "There's nothing you can do about it. It's already inside of you, or else you'd be dead."

There's no way he can pay this off, he thinks as continues to ever so slowly drag himself forward. Not with a sales job - even if it is at the Union. His heart, or the fake piece of pulsing metal that's taken its place begins to ache sharply, and he finds to his dismay he can't move anymore.

"Come on. We'll take care of you." Shinra tells him.

"Please, Shizuo," Tom is beside him now, too, "I don't want to see you in pain..."

Shizuo slumps down on the floor, cheek resting against the floor as he stares dully at the white hallway walls.

Shinra kneels down in front of him, right into his line of sight. "You owe it to your family." _That fucker_, Shizuo thinks angrily, _He's going to try to use those goddamn words on me - _but his body does not show the turbulence that lies inside. "You owe it to yourself."

_Fuck_.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed, and that it made sense! :D;;

Please review, more reviews mean faster updates and that I won't give up on this... Thanks for reading.

And hopefully, reviewing!


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